Social partners
Social dialogue in this sector covers activities defined by NACE (Rev. 2) class 81.2:
- services provided by specialised contractors
- building maintenance & associated cleaning
- cleaning trains, buses & planes
- waste management services
- disinfecting & pest extermination activities.
EU-wide, the industrial cleaning sector employs about 3 m workers (Eurostat, 2014 Labour Force Survey data) in over 220 000 firms (Eurostat, Structural Business Statistics, 2013). The turnover is €85.9bn (Eurostat, Structural Business Statistics, 2012).
The major challenges facing the sector are
- the continuing effects of the economic crisis in a number of EU countries & its indirect impact on working conditions
- the implementation of the new EU public procurement directive, 2014/24/EU,
- the formal involvement of social partners in the activities of the European Platform to enhance cooperation in the prevention & deterrence of undeclared work,
- promoting daytime cleaning to raise the sector's profile
- low union & employer representation in eastern Europe.
Workers' organisations
Employers' organisations
Key areas
The Committee is currently focusing on:
- health & safety (online interactive risk assessment)
- regulatory issues (quality & socially responsible public procurement; enforcement of the posting of workers directive)
- impact of the crisis on the cleaning sector
- working conditions (undeclared work; promoting daytime cleaning; employment)
- standard setting & training
Activities & meetings
Check the library entries for this sectoral social dialogue committee.
Achievements/Joint texts
Check the social dialogue texts database